If you’re sexually active, you’ve probably thought about getting tested for STDs at some point. Why should you get an STD check? Who should get STD testing? Where can you get tested? How do you get tested? What’s included in an STD panel? Here are the answers to some of your questions.
Why You Should Get STD Testing
Many sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have no symptoms whatsoever, and some can have very serious complications if they’re left untreated, such as infertility in both men and women. While most STDs can be cured with relative ease once they are diagnosed, some STDs can only be treated rather than cured. In some cases, such as with herpes, getting treated can help prevent you from passing the infection to another partner.
Read: Most Common STDs | Pictures and Descriptions
Who Should Get STD Testing?
Anybody who is sexually active should get tested on a regular basis (each year). It is recommended to get an STD test if you have signs and symptoms of STD, you have a new sexual partner or your partner test positive for an STD. There are some groups of people who are at a higher risk of catching STDs. These at-risk people include:
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Those aged 25 and younger who are sexually active
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Pregnant women
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People with new or multiple partners
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Men who have sex with other men
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Those with HIV
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Anybody who has been forced into sexual activity against their will
Where Can You Get an STD test?
Many places offer STD testing. Your regular doctor can run the tests. If you’d rather your regular physician doesn’t know about your STD status, you can go to an STD clinic such as Planned Parenthood or use an online service such as PlushCare. For the ultimate in privacy, you can order a kit online to do a urine or swab test yourself; then you drop off the completed kit at a local laboratory for testing.
What’s Included in an STD Panel?
There are many different places you can get an STD panel done, from your doctor’s office to an STD clinic to a kit that’s sent to your home. Each place will offer different tests in the standard STD panel. No matter where you choose to get tested, you’ll want to ask what’s included and make sure every test you wanted to get is included in the package. STD Panels may include testing for anywhere from six to 14 STDs, depending on where you get tested.
Standard PlushCare STD Panel
While each company will offer different STD tests, a standard STD panel will include - at minimum - all of the following tests:
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Chlamydia and Gonorrhea: Chlamydia and Gonorrhea tests are typically performed as a single urine sample.
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Syphilis: The Syphilis test is performed as a blood test.
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HIV: HIV is tested using blood samples.
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Herpes 1 and 2: Herpes 1 and 2 are tested for using blood samples.
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Hepatitis B and C: Hepatitis B and C are tested for using blood samples.
Related: How to Read Your Blood Test Results
Optional PlushCare STD testing
Additional testing that’s offered by PlushCare but isn’t part of the standard STD panel includes:
Think you might be interested in getting tested? Book an appointment with a PlushCare physician and get tested today.
Read More About STD Testing
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